


par for the course

by Anonymous



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: Beards (Relationships), Boys In Love, Bullying, Canon Gay Character, Canon Gay Relationship, Declarations Of Love, Dirty Jokes, Dorks in Love, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friendship/Love, Gay Larry Johnson, Getting Together, High School, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Love Letters, M/M, Mutual Pining, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-it Notes, Slurs, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, ash is larry's beard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 08:39:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17784143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/





	par for the course

Larry bit his lip as he jiggled open Sal's locker. A few slips of white and red paper fluttered to the floor and he scooped them up, shuffling quickly through them. "Let's see. Sarcasm, sarcasm- oh, okay. Outright calling him a faggot. Creative. That's probably Travis. Sarcasm, telling him to kill himself, threat, and a drawing of him with a noose." He squinted at the last one. "Or a water balloon. But it's probably a noose." He sighed and shoved them into his pocket before slamming the locker shut, heading over to pop Todd's open.

"Hey," Ash said, leaning against the wall. "I thought you said you were gonna go piss?"

He grunted. "Just said that so Sal wouldn't follow me." He picked up the few notes that fell from Todd's locker and read them over, putting two in his pocket and one back inside, propped against the potato on the top shelf. "I don't want a repeat of last year, y'know?"

"What happened last year?"

"Some dickwad followed us home on Friday and waited 'til Valentine's to leave a bunch of shit in his mailbox." He shut Todd's locker. "I'm not takin' any chances this year."

"Geez. That's fucked up."

"I know, right?" He sighed. "Figured I'd check Todd's while I'm at it. Surprisingly, not much shit in there. Only three notes and one's from Niel."

"I guess the guy with the prosthetic face attracts more hate than one of five gay kids, huh?"

"One of five  _out_ gay kids, Ash." Larry smirked. "Or did you already forget about me?"

Ash laughed. "Yeah, okay, good point." 

Larry shoved his hands in his pockets. "There anyone you've got'cher eye on?"

"Nah, not really. But I'm super excited about tonight." She slipped out of her backpack and opened it up, pulling out a brown paper bag of VHS tapes. "I picked up some shitty rom-coms from Blockbuster."

"Oh, awesome." He tensed as he heard footsteps approaching, then put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm lookin' forward to it too, dollface."

She rolled her eyes, but played along with a giggle. "Can't wait," she teased, one hand drifting off to grab his ass.

Whoever it was talking by made a retching sound as they turned the corner. Ash's hand snapped back to her side and Larry stretched both arms above his head. 

"Sorry," Ash murmured. 

Larry waved a hand flippantly. "Par for the course, Campbell. Don't sweat it."

"Yeah, I know." She leaned against the lockers as he opened his own. A piece of paper danced towards the floor, but she snatched it up. "Ooooh, Larry's got a love letter!"

"Ashley-!"

"Who the hell's trying to steal you away from me, hm?" She unfolded the slip of pink paper — a sticky note, as it turned out — and quickly read it over. Her eyes widened.

"What? What's it say?" He reached for the note, but she held it out of his reach.

"Ohh, this is  _juicy_."

"What? Ash, c'mon-"

She stuffed the paper down her shirt and into her bra. "No way. This is  _way_ too good."

Larry groaned. "Ash, it was meant for  _me_. Hand it over!"

"No way! He knew full well we open each other's lockers all the time. He knew what he was getting into!"

"Wait, _he_? Who is it?"

Ash grinned wryly. 

Larry gave her a disapproving look. "Ashley Campbell . . ."

She poked his nose. "You'll see."

He slumped, moaning dramatically. "You're the worst." 

* * *

Larry couldn't help but notice the way Sal's leg bounced in their English class. "Dude," he whispered, "you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the shorter boy replied. "Just kinda . . . I'm just nervous."

"Why? Nothing's happened yet."

"Exactly!"

"Fisher! Johnson! This is  _individual_ work."

"Right. Sorry." Sal shot Larry a look.

"Wh-"

"Johnson."

He sighed. "Sorry." 

* * *

Sal didn't sit with them at lunch.

"Todd," Larry started, "have you seen-?"

"He's with Ash," Todd told him.

"Well where's Ash?"

"With Sal."

Neil laughed. Larry scowled.

"You guys suck."

"The only thing I suck is Neil's dick," Todd said offhandedly, then clapped his hand over his own mouth.

"Todd!" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

Larry laughed. "Holy shit, dude."

"I don't know what came over me!"

Neil kissed his boyfriend's cheek. "Wanna come over to my house after school?"

"Neil . . ."

Larry blew a raspberry. "Y'all are gross, y'know that?" 

* * *

It wasn't until the end of the day that he finally got to read the note.

"Ash, what-"

"Trust me. C'mon."

He sighed as she pulled him behind a tree. "Please don't tell me this is part of our charade, because — no offence, you're very pretty — but I do not want to make out with you in public."

She rolled her eyes and pulled a familiar piece of paper from her pocket, shoving it into his hand. "Read it."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but unfolded it anyway and read it over.

 _Larry Johnson—_  
_You're one of the coolest guys I know. You're creative, funny, and genuinely one of the nicest guys I've ever met._  
_You're gay, I'm bi, and I think I might be in love with you._  
_Be my Valentine?_  
_—Sal Fisher_

Larry stared for a moment. He read it again. He looked up at Ash with a question in his eyes, but she was already heading over to get Sal's attention. He watched as she handed him the bag of VHS tapes from her backpack, gave him a kiss on the forehead, and . . . started going the wrong way.

"Sal!" He shouted, running in the direction of his best friend.

Sal looked up. He waved as Larry approached. "Hey, Lar," he said. His voice was oddly small.

Larry held up the note. "I, uh-"

"Oh, that?" Sal scoffed. "That- that's nothing. Don't worry about it. It wasn't-"

"But I am," Larry interrupted. He bent down to whisper in his ear. "I think I'm in love with you too, Sal."

The tips of Sal's ears went red. "Lar, don't dick with me."

"I'm not." He paused. "Unless you're into that."

"Larry!" Sal laughed. He glanced around and, seeing nobody looking at them, briefly took Larry's hand. "Love you."

"You too. Now c'mon, let's get home and watch these movies."


End file.
